Danny Howells: Difference between revisions

|name caption = Danny Howells (front) in 2017

|birth_name image_size =

|alias birth_name =

|birth_date alias =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1970|11|24}}

| origin = [[Hastings]], [[England]]

| instrument =

| genre = [[Progressive electronicElectronic music]]

| occupation = [[Disc jockey]]<br />[[Record producer]]

| years_active = Late 1980s – present

| label =

| associated_acts = Squelch, Science Department

| website = http://www.{{url|dannyhowells.com/}}

'''Danny Howells''' (born 24 November 1970) is an [[England|English]] [[record producer|producer]] and [[disc jockey|DJ]]. His music is often described as [[progressive house]], though he prefers to associate more with [[tech house]] and is sometimes described simply as "deepsexyfuturistictechfunkouse".<ref>{{Citation |title=Danny Howells - Essential Mix @ BBC Radio 1 (18-02-2007) Classic Sets |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1inOzUR7t6s |access-date=2023-11-28 |language=en}}</ref> At performances, he is well known to interact personally with the audience.<ref name="jive-2003">{{Cite web|url = http://www.jivemagazine.com/article.php?pid=106 |last = Marshalek |first = Russ |work= [[JIVE Magazine]] |date=1 August 2003-08-01 |title=Danny Howells: Sounds Inin Aa Dark Room}}</ref> Howells has mixed several albums for [[Global Underground]] in addition to his ''Nocturnal Frequencies'' series. Howells is also a member of the duo Science Department with Dick Trevor, which has produced the singles "Breathe" and "Persuasion"/"Repercussion" as well as remixes for artists such as [[Brian Transeau|BT]]. From 2008 he has run his own record label, Dig Deeper - named after his long running club night.

Danny Howells was born in the [[South East England]] town of [[Hastings]] in 1970.<ref name="amg-bio">{{Cite web|url= {{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p311451|pure_url=yes}} |last = Greene |first = Jo-Ann |accessdate=2007-07-26 July 2007 |work=[[Allmusic]] |title = Nick Warren >> Biography}}</ref> Howells's first event DJ-ingDJing came in the late 1980s and he began to perform at local clubs.<ref name="amg-bio"/> In 1991, [[Bedrock Records|Bedrock]] founder [[John Digweed]] heard one of Howells's mix tapes and invited Howells to join the Bedrock club nights.<ref name="amg-bio"/> Howells traveled with Bedrock until they settled at the club [[Heaven (nightclub)|Heaven]] in [[London]].<ref name="amg-bio"/> He would spend nine years as warm-up DJ for Digweed at Bedrock.<ref name="howto">{{Cite book |last = Broughton |first = Frank |title = How to DJ Right: The Art and Science of Playing Records |author2 = Bill Brewster |authorlink2 = Bill Brewster (DJ) |date = April 2003 |isbn = 0-8021-3995-7 |location = London |publisher = [[Bantam Books]] |page = [https://archive.org/details/howtodjrightarts00brou/page/116 116] |url-access = registration |url = https://archive.org/details/howtodjrightarts00brou/page/116 }}</ref>

In 1995, Howells began producing [[experimental techno]] tracks with fellow Hastings native, Tim Cross, under the moniker ''Squelch''.<ref name="amg-bio"/> Over the next two years, Squelch produced several singles and attracted the attention of the record label [[Jackpot Records|Jackpot]], who released what would be Cross's and Howells's final single together.<ref name="amg-bio"/> In 1997, Cross and Howells split, though Howells stayed with Jackpot. Jackpot teamed Danny Howells up with Rob Green to produce a remix of [[React 2 Rhythm]]'s "Intoxication".<ref name="amg-bio"/> Howells performed for the first time outside of the UK, traveling to the [[Netherlands]] for his first gig abroad, which gained him a large fan base there.<ref name="djtimes">{{Cite web |url=http://www.djtimes.com/original/djmag/sep01/howells.htm | title = Spanning The Globe: Is a Global DJ's Life More Full of Glory or Exhaustion? |last = Tremayne |first = Jim |work = [[DJ Times]] |date=September 2001 |accessdate=29 July 2007 |archive-07url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061021013750/http://www.djtimes.com/original/djmag/sep01/howells.htm |archive-29date=21 October 2006 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Following his international tour, Howells signed with [[Netherlands|Dutch]] record label [[ID&T]] to create his debut mix album, ''Nightlife Report 1: Mick Boskamp Presents Danny Howells''.<ref name="amg-bio"/> Howells and Green continued to work together, including on a remix of [[Robbie Williams]]'s "[[South of the Border (1997 song)|South of the Border]]".<ref name="amg-bio"/> Howells began to produce solo as well, taking on projects such as [[Ashtrax]]'s "Kafka" and [[Brian Transeau|BT]]'s "Dreaming".<ref name="amg-bio"/>

In 1999, Danny Howells began his ''Nocturnal Frequencies'' series of mix albums on the record label [[Obsessive (record label)|Obsessive]]. He also began remixing with Dick Trevor, and the two soon adopted the name ''Science Department'' for their original productions.<ref name="amg-bio"/> Howells continued his live DJ-ingDJing, playing regularly at clubs including Bedrock, [[Renaissance Records|Renaissance]], [[Cream (nightclub)|Cream]], and [[Ministry of Sound]].<ref name="amg-bio"/> After the release of his next ''Nocturnal Frequencies'' album, Howells left Bedrock and Ministry of Sound, taking a residency at [[Twilo]] in [[New York City]].<ref name="amg-bio"/> After finishing the Science Department track "Breathe", Howells compiled his next mix album ''[[Nubreed 002]]''.<ref name="amg-bio"/> The second entry in [[Global Underground]]'s ''Nubreed'' series, Howells's album consisted largely of funky, progressive, [[tech house]].<ref name="amg-nubreed">{{Cite web|url={{Allmusic|class=album|id=r498420|pure_url=yes}} |title=Global Underground: NuBreed > Review |accessdate=2007-07-26 July 2007 |last = Carlson |first = Dean |work=[[Allmusic]]}}</ref> Howells was voted number ten of the world's top DJs in [[DJ Magazine]]'s 2001 Top 100 DJs poll.<ref name="jive-2001">{{Cite web|url = http://www.jivemagazine.com/article.php?pid=32 |work= [[JIVE Magazine]] |date=1 July 2001-07-01 |accessdate=29 July 2007-07-29 |title =Interview: Danny Howells |author=Jewels}}</ref>

Howells continued his relationship with Global Underground, releasing the first album in their ''24:7'' series in July 2003. The first disc features a primarily [[downtempo]] or [[chill out music]], similarly to [[Nick Warren]]'s [[GU024|Global Underground 024: Reykjavik]], while the second is more of a club mix.<ref name="ra-247">{{Cite web|url=http://www.residentadvisor.net/review-view.aspx?id=1190 |last = Mnookin |first = Daniel |date=2003-06-29 June 2003 |accessdate=2007-07-29 July 2007 |work=[[Resident Advisor]] |title=GU 24:7 - Danny Howells Album Review}}</ref> In 2005, Global Underground brought in Howells for the 27th entry in their series. Howells entry, ''[[GU027|Global Underground 027: Miami]]'', is based on his 31 October 2004 performance at [[Club Space]] in [[Miami, Florida]].<ref name="hrfq">{{Cite web|url=http://higher-frequency.com/e_interview/danny_howells/index.htm |title= Danny Howells Interview |date=2 July 2005-07-02 |work = Higher Frequency |accessdate=2007-07-28 July 2007 |last = Cotterill |first =Matt}}</ref> The first disc is based on his morning set and the second disc on his late night set.<ref name="hrfq"/>

Up until the late 1990s, DJs such as Howells allowed themselves to be categorised under genres like "deep [[trance music|trance]]".<ref name="billboard-reader">{{Cite book|title=The Billboard Illustrated Encyclopedia of Music |last = du Noyer |first = Paul |date=1 October 2003-10-01 |publisher =Billboard Books |isbn=0-8230-7869-8 |location=New York City |page=318}}</ref> However, with the commercialisation of trance, Howells and others began to be classified as [[progressive house]], [[tribal house]], or [[tech house]].<ref name="jive-2001"/><ref name="billboard-reader"/>

Danny Howells is also known for his unique clothing styles, including wearing [[eye liner]] and "loud" [[Paisley (design)|Paisley]] shirts, which he buys from vintage stores or thrift shops.<ref name="hrfq"/><ref name="clubbinguk">{{Cite web |url=http://www.clubbing-uk.com/danny_howells_interview.htm |title = Danny Howells Interview |accessdate=2007-07-29 July 2007 |work = Clubbing UK |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928062528/http://www.clubbing-uk.com/danny_howells_interview.htm |archive-date=28 September 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

;Albums<ref name="amg-awards">{{Cite web|url={{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p311451|pure_url=yes}} |title = Danny Howells > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums |work=[[Allmusic]] |accessdate=2007-07-26 July 2007 }}</ref>

*2000: ''[[Nubreed 002]]'' ([[Boxed (record label)|Boxed]])

*2003: ''[[24:7 - Danny Howells|24:7]]'' ([[Boxed (record label)|Boxed]]) ([[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] [[Top Electronic Albums]] #10)

*2006: ''[[Choice - A Collection Ofof Classics]]'' ([[Azuli Records]])

*2013: ''[[Balance 024 or Balance 025|Balance 024 ]]''([[EQ Recordings]])

* [https://web.archive.org/web/20071123102358/http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendidfriendID=35663697 Danny Howells's Myspace page]

[[Category:ClubEnglish DJshouse musicians]]

[[Category:RemixersEnglish DJs]]